Doctors have identified 13 genes that appear to increase the risk of heart disease, although how the genes do it remains a mystery. Researchers from Canada, Europe, the U.K. and the U.S. on Sunday revealed the results of a massive international study -- one of the largest ever of its kind -- that more than doubled the number of genes known to play a role in heart disease.
"What this means is that there are other causes of heart disease that we were totally unaware of until we identified these genes," said Dr. Robert Roberts, president and CEO of the University of Ottawa Heart Institute, one of nearly 100 research centres that conducted the study.
Scientists sifted through the genes of more than 140,000 people. They found 13 new genes linked to heart disease -- though only three of them affect known risk factors such as blood pressure or cholesterol. The other 10 are a mystery.
"This is a landmark result because we have identified so many genes and most operate using completely unknown mechanisms to us right now," Roberts added.
The research also confirmed that 10 previously identified genes are linked to the general population, meaning their influence on the development of heart disease cannot be confined to a specific segment of the public.
Dr. Thomas Quertermous, professor of cardiovascular medicine at Stanford University, said identifying the new genes will help "improve our means of preventing cardiovascular disease."
The results were published on Sunday in the online journal Nature Genetics.
The next job will be to figure out what the genes do "and how can we treat them with appropriate drugs so we can eliminate their effects," said Roberts, predicting that will be the focus of further research for the next five to 10 years.
Once researchers figure out how the genes work, prevention programs can be developed to help patients minimize the genetic component of heart disease. Once this happens, according to the Heart Institute, heart disease will either be dramatically reduced, or eliminated altogether, within 50 years.
The Heart Institute's efforts were led by its Ruddy Canadian Cardiovascular Genetics Centre. The institute has a history of breakthroughs and had previously identified other genes linked to heart disease and obesity.
Doctors caution that the new findings should not derail people from eating right, getting exercise and watching their blood pressure and cholesterol. Research shows that up to 40 per cent of heart disease cases can be prevented by taking steps to lower cholesterol, reduce high blood pressure, quitting smoking and modifying other lifestyle factors.
"From a public health point of view, what does this mean today? Don't take your eye off the ball from the advice your physicians give you today," said Roberts.
With a report from CTV medical specialist Avis Favaro and producer Elizabeth St. Philip